1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lanyard buckle connector for attaching a lanyard to a buckle and for attaching the buckle to a fitting.
2. Description of the Related Art
People wear visual identification devices in social, industrial, and professional setting. One such wearable identification device common in social settings is the paper name tag. The paper name tag is configured with an adhesive to affix the tag to a user""s shirt and a surface for printing the user""s name. Other types of name tags are known, for example, identification badges, which are more durable than the paper name tag.
The need for industrial security has increased employer use of identification badges. Badges provide the employer""s security personnel with a quick device to identify employees and to intercept and properly direct non-employees on the employer""s premises. Similarly, in professional settings, such as at professional conferences, visual wearable identification badges enhance participant interaction, and provide a mechanism for event organizers to quickly identify event participants from other members of the public.
As the need for identification badges has grown so have the ways of wearing them. For example, a plastic sleeve that is mountable, such as by magnets, pins or clips, to a shirt or blouse of the wearer can hold the badge and secure it to the user. While such mountable sleeves generally effectively hold the badge on the user""s shirt, they are generally awkward. When mounted to the pocket of a shirt, they tend to pull the shirt and pocket out and down. Also, repeated use of pins to mount the badge to the user""s clothing can damage the clothing.
Lanyards have improved the wearability of identification badges. A lanyard is a cord that can be worn around the badge wearer""s neck, and to which an identification badge can be attached. Although lanyards have improved the wearability of identification badges, they have not worked well with traditional mechanism for securing the badges. When connected to the lanyard, many of these traditional securing mechanisms twist the badge so that it does not rest flat on the wearer""s shirt or blouse. Other such mechanisms do not secure the badge well enough, and, as a result, the badge can pull free from the lanyard too easily and be lost. Some securement mechanisms are too large with respect to the badge and lanyard for a pleasing appearance.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved lanyard connector and method for connecting the badge to the lanyard that will improve the wearability and securement of identification badges to lanyards, while at the same time providing a pleasing appearance.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a system for connecting a lanyard, a buckle, and a fitting is provided. The system comprises a one-piece upper connector having an upper portion for receiving the lanyard and lower portion for receiving a transverse element of an upper portion of the buckle. The system also comprises a lower connector having an upper portion for receiving a transverse element of a lower portion of the buckle. The lower connector also has a lower portion for receiving an upper portion of the fitting. When the lanyard is received by the upper portion of the upper connector, the upper connector does not cause the buckle to rotate.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a quick-connection system for interconnecting a lanyard, a buckle having a lower surface, and a fitting is provided. The system comprises an upper connector for connecting the lanyard to the buckle; and a lower connector for connecting the buckle to the fitting. The longitudinal dimension of the upper connector is less than the longitudinal dimension of the buckle, and the longitudinal dimension of the lower connector is less than the longitudinal dimension of the buckle.
In another aspect of the invention, a connector for connecting a lanyard to a buckle is provided that comprises a first end and a second end positioned outside of and below the first end. The connector also comprises a lower section configured to receive a portion of a buckle and an upper section configured to receive a lanyard. The first end and the second end are positioned near each other to form a gap therebetween. The gap is smaller than the portion of the buckle, and the first and second ends are moveable with respect to one another so as to increase the gap size to equal or exceed the thickness of the portion of the buckle.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a connector for connecting a fitting to a buckle is provided that comprises a first end, and a second end positioned outside of and below the first end. The connector also comprises an upper section configured to receive a portion of the buckle, a lower section configured to receive the fitting, and a tab extending from the upper section abuts the buckle, preventing rotation in at least one direction.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a method for assembling a lanyard-buckle-badge assembly is provided comprising the step of inserting a badge into a lower portion of a fitting, the fitting having an upper portion. The method also comprises quick-connecting the upper portion of the fitting into a lower connector through a gap formed in the lower connector. Then a lower transverse element of a buckle is quick-connected to the lower connector through the lower connector gap. Then an upper transverse element of the buckle is quick-connected to an upper connector through an upper connector gap.